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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28128843">The world was ending</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minnye/pseuds/Minnye'>Minnye</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hamilton - Miranda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Friendship, Historical Inaccuracy, Injured Alexander Hamilton, Lafayette knows things, Light Angst, M/M, Mentions of a character death, Mentions of alcohol, One Shot, Original Universe, Pining, but not really, historical setting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 01:02:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,977</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28128843</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minnye/pseuds/Minnye</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“My god, Alexander,” he whispered to himself. “And you asked why I didn’t want you to be in command. I didn’t want you to die. I couldn’t bear the idea and now you are gone.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alexander Hamilton/George Washington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The world was ending</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I once read a story about Hamilton disappearing only to reappear later when everyone was mourning him. I don´t know if it´s true or not but I liked it, so here is my version.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The world was ending. There was nothing that could stop it because Hamilton, the axis of his life, his anchor, the only thing that was keeping him sane, was gone forever. Not even a corpse to bury. </p><p>Washington looked at the young official that had come to deliver the news. The man was nearly trembling, watching him with something akin to fear.</p><p>“Have you searched for him?” he asked. His broken voice turning his mouth into a grimace. “Has no one seen him?”</p><p>“It was all very chaotic. We were trying to escape in the boats while getting shot and with no resources to defend ourselves…”</p><p>The soldier trailed off. Making excuses was useless. Hamilton was death.</p><p>“Any more casualties?”</p><p>“No, sir. Thanks to him.”</p><p>“Okay,” said George trying to breath. It was nearly impossible. He felt like he was underwater, the pain nearly unbearable. “I need you to find Lafayette, Laurens, Mulligan and Burr. Do you know who they are?”</p><p>“Of course, sir.”</p><p>“Tell them to come here.” </p><p>Immediately the man slipped out of the tent, ready to follow his orders. The silence returned, and Washington started to pace. The thoughts crowded his head, making it impossible to calm himself. Hamilton was dead, and the world was crashing around him. And now he had to tell the news to the others. His friends, his family, the most important persons in Alexander’s life. It was never easy, but now that it was someone dear to him, he didn’t know how he was going to survive it. </p><p>“My god, Alexander,” he whispered to himself. “And you asked why I didn’t want you to be in command. I didn’t want you to die. I couldn’t bear the idea and now you are gone.”</p><p>Washington felt the tears start to prickle at his eyes. He couldn’t do it. However, before he had an opportunity to escape or to even recompose himself, Lafayette was entering the tent. Laurens and Mulligan at his heels. </p><p>The three of them stopped abruptly at the sight. Never had the general cried, and never had the pain been so clear in his face. What they were seeing now was scaring them to death.</p><p>“What happened?” asked Lafayette, the fear clear in his voice. “What is it? Tell us!”</p><p>“It′s Hamilton,” he started to explain, choking the words out. “He was lost in battle, in the river. The troops believe him death.”</p><p>Immediately the face of the three men changed. </p><p>“Ce n’est pas possible,” said Lafayette. Mulligan had to take him by the waist, his body nearly collapsing. Next to him Laurens was shaking his head, denying a reality that couldn´t be escaped.</p><p>“Are you sure, sir?” asked Mulligan. It seemed that of the four of them, he was being the most stable. “What said the report?”</p><p>“The rest of the soldiers lost sight of him while they were trying to escape from the enemy. They have searched the shore but there's no track of him.”</p><p>“He's dead?” interrupted a voice from the entrance. How much time Burr had been listening, he didn′t know. Grief was clouding his senses, making him numb to the world. “How? It is impossible–”</p><p>“The men lost sight of him in the river,” cut Mulligan before Burr could continue. “They believe him death.”</p><p>Burr didn’t say anything but even him in his practiced indifference seem affected by the news. The five men stayed in silence trying to find a way to cope with the death of one of the better men either of them had known. </p><p>"It can´t be," said Lafayette finally, he seemed more composed then. "I have seen him in the water. He is one of the best swimmers I have ever met. He could keep his breath for nearly two minutes!"</p><p>"He was injured," said Washington. The tears had dried, but his eyes were still red, and they could see that his emotions were still overwhelming him. "He stayed behind, trying to destroy the supplies, and was hit by at least two bullets." </p><p>Lafayette looked at him with horror, his eyes again full of tears. He started to speak in French, murmuring to himself. Mulligan who was circling Lafayette´s waist with one arm opened the other and Laurens moved immediately refuging himself in his friend´s chest. Near them Burr was in silence, looking at the ground like it had done something to personally offend him. He looked angry and defeated. </p><p>“He was a good man,” said Hercules. </p><p>“We will avenge his memory,” claimed Laurens, the hurt was evident in his voice.</p><p>“But for now, we mourn.”</p><p>They all felt silent again at the General′s words. He took a bottle of whiskey that he had reserved for a memorable occasion, and cleaning the dust with his sleeve, opened it. That was a truly memorable occasion, even if not for the reasons he had hoped.</p><p>“For Alexander Hamilton,” he proclaimed taking the first swallow.</p><p>“For Hamilton,” repeated every one of them before drinking.</p><p>Sometime later, all of them sprawled in the floor, when they had drunk enough for the alcohol to start buzzing in their heads, they started remembering.  Old jokes and easy moments, fights and battles. Even Burr, who had always looked at him with a faint air of exasperation was then smiling softly, relating how Alexander had approached him on the streets, how he had taken him to the bar where he had met the others. </p><p>Washington took another gulp and closed his eyes. It hurted. </p><p>Lafayette told them how he had been the one to help him with English, how they had discussed in two languages, making the best of a conversation that no one else could have understood. They had come to known each other almost casually, too concentrated in grammar and vocabulary to acknowledge it. </p><p>Mulligan took the bottle from his hands and drank, almost laughing when retelling how Hamilton had humiliated Samuel Seabury on the streets. How he had though that it would all end in a duel just for them to have to run when the British had come to announce the king′s message.</p><p>Laurens sprawled against Lafayette′s side drank a couple of long gulps before telling them how Hamilton had had the idea of stealing canons from the British. How they had crept to enemy territory and stole the horses with their load. Both so full of adrenaline that they never considered what would have happened had they been caught. </p><p>In the end all turned to him, expecting.  </p><p>He could remember numerous things about Alexander. The first time he had met him, young, scrappy and hungry, shining eyes and feral grin. Long nights spent writing with only the other for company. Infinite battles that always tended to merge into each other, his aide at his side. He could also recall the soft warm feeling when he smiled at him, the laugh that always seemed to echo in his chest, thin lips and dishevelled hair. Dark rings under eyes and passion in every word. </p><p>He remembered the last time he had seen him. He had told him to be careful, asked him to come back in one piece.</p><p> “He was the best aide I′ve ever had,” he said finally. “He was always taking care of everything and everyone, and he seemed to be in more than one place at the same time. I′m not sure I could have done alone half the things we′ve done together.”</p><p>“He was always asking for a command even when he already had it,” said Lafayette sighing.</p><p>“Alexander could be really stupid sometimes,” slurred Laurens. Of them all he seemed the most drunk.</p><p>“For the most stupid soldier in the army,” added Burr lifting the bottle.</p><p>Once again, they all drank.</p><p>Night had fallen when another officer appeared on the entrance of the tent. He called for the general and when granted access he moved inside, looking at them hesitantly. </p><p> “General, I′ve been sent to inform you that Hamilton has returned,” said the soldier quickly. “He's been found on the west side of camp, wounded and wet, but he is alive. Currently he is at the infirmary being treated of his wounds, but the doctor believes that he will live.”</p><p>The bottle had been gone for a while, enough for them to start sobering up, but even so, at the sudden news, Washington found himself wondering if he had fallen asleep. He saw a similar feeling reflected at his companions faces.</p><p>“Thank you, officer.”</p><p>The man disappeared once again closing the tent's flap behind him. Everyone was still for a few moments, then Burr broke the silence.</p><p>“Has he said that Hamilton is alive?”</p><p>“Are we so drunk that we have started hallucinating?” asked Laurens.</p><p>“I doubt it,” answered the General. “Come on.” </p><p>Felling like he was floating Washington got up, exiting the tent in a hurry, the others behind him. </p><p>The walk to the medical tent became the longest one he had ever had to make. The expectation, the hope and the remaining feeling of still being in a dream curled in his chest almost making him feel sick. He wouldn′t believe it until he saw him.</p><p> They arrived at the tent in a tense silence and entered it in a hurried haze. And there, talking softy with the doctor, was Alexander. Seating on a cot, blood all over himself and wet hair curling around his face.</p><p>“<em>Je vais le tuer.</em>” </p><p>“Don′t,” pleaded Laurens. “I don′t believe we can survive losing him again.”</p><p>At their voices, Hamilton turned to look at them, waiving with one hand and wincing slightly when it made him moved his wounded shoulder. Washington had though that seeing him alive would make him believe it, but he still felt a slight dread while they approached. Would he wake up if he got any closer? Would he find himself in his tent again, an empty bottle and no hope?</p><p>“Hello, my friends,” smiled Hamilton. “I hope you weren′t too worried about me.”</p><p>“We thought you were dead, Alexander,” breathed Burr. “We′ve mourned you.”</p><p>The man looked between them surprised, eyes searching and smile gone. It was like he didn′t know. That he was important, that they loved him. When his eyes found his, Washington felt his heart jump. He would make him see, he promised to himself. How precious he was to them.</p><p>“I′m sorry.”</p><p>After a moment, Laurens hugged him carefully. </p><p>“Don′t ever do something like that again.”</p><p>“I won′t,” he promised.</p><p>One by one, they approached. Lafayette combed trembling fingers through his hair, Burr patted him on his good shoulder and Hercules hugged him just as Laurens had done. Hamilton returned those signs of affection with trembling lips and unsure hands. Washington could understand what he was feeling. </p><p>“I′m sure the General would want to speak to you alone,” said Lafayette when he was the only one left.</p><p>He tried to protest. They had the same right to be with him and after all that had happened, he couldn’t believe that any of them would be willing to leave their friend′s side. However, the look the other man sent him stopped him. </p><p>“We′ll come tomorrow again,” said Hercules smiling warmly. “Someone has to make sure you don′t try to escape the infirmary.”</p><p>“I would never,” he protested.</p><p>None of them believed him. </p><p>After saying their goodbyes to the man, they started getting out. Lafayette lingered behind, and after making sure the others had disappeared, he leaned towards the general conspiratorially.</p><p>“Next time he may not make it,” he whispered. “Maybe it′s time to rethink some of your choices.”</p><p>Washington felt his blood run cold at the significant glance he sent to Alexander. He tried to deny it, but the man just smiled knowingly, patting his arm and disappearing through the tent′s entrance. </p><p>“That′s an expression I′ve never seen on you,” said Hamilton from the cot. “What did he tell you?”</p><p>“Apparently, our favourite Frenchman knows much more that he seems.”</p><p>“That sounds like him.”</p><p>Hesitantly, he approached the bed. Alexander′s eyes following his every move, expectant.<br/>
There were so many things he wanted to say and so many he shouldn’t. Lafayette words ringed in his mind, making him doubt. Could there be any hope?</p><p>“I told you to come back in one piece.”</p><p>“I did all I could, sir.” he protested. “The British took out the guard and attacked us by surprise-”</p><p>“We thought you dead.”</p><p>That made the man stop. For a moment he looked almost guilty, before squaring again, meeting his gaze defiantly. </p><p>“I did what I had to do. The British would have taken our supplies.”</p><p>“Hamilton-“</p><p>“Sir, it is bad enough already without us giving resources to the enemy. Those were good supplies and would have lasted them for a good while. We didn′t have time to carry even the half of them across the river before they were upon us and-“</p><p>“Hamilton.“</p><p>”-that would have given them the advantage. They could have wait longer, corner us further. They would have had enough food to outwait us and attack when we′d started to move. It-“</p><p>“Alexander!” he finally cut him. </p><p>The man felt silent looking at him with wide eyes. He seemed to be containing everything he wanted to say, every reason why he was right. Washington sighed. He didn′t seemed to understand.</p><p>“Alexander,” he started again softly. “I′m not saying that what you did was wrong. It′s true that had those supplies fallen on enemies’ hands it would have given them an advantage that we can′t afford right now. That said,” he continued before he had the opportunity to say anything, “this is not about the war. This is about us, as your friends, worrying. You have little regard for your health. You barely sleep or eat, you work too much, and now this. Right now, it′s not the British who worries me most, it′s you. Yes, destroying those supplies was important, but not at the expense of your life. Never, anything, comes before your life Alexander.”</p><p>The man looked at him with wide eyes, searching. Like he couldn′t believe anyone would care for him beyond his usefulness. It broke George′s heart. Every time he saw that self-deprecating look in his eyes.</p><p>“We need you, Alexander. <em>I need you.</em>”</p><p>And that was a confession. One that went beyond his words, that had escaped his mouth with such sincerity that there wasn′t any way it could be misunderstood. Even if it wasn′t all the truth, even if it only exposed half of what he felt for the man, it′d have to suffice. Not even Lafayette′s word could make him take the risk of exposing himself fully.</p><p>“Sir, I-“ he doubted for a second, searching his face, his eyes. There was something like panic in his eyes, maybe exhilaration. “I- I need you too,” he said finally. </p><p>Washington felt his heart skip a beat. Alexander in front of him, moved closer, a mere inclination of his body while his eyes moved to his mouth.  There was no way in which he could be misinterpreting the situation. </p><p>George lifted his hand. His knuckles caressed softly Alex′s cheek before fully grasping his face, his neck, his fingers tangling and carding through his still wet hair, angling his face towards him while he descended. He kissed him softly, barely a brush of lips before separating again. He kissed his eyes, his brow, his temple and then again, his lips, smiling. It was tender and intimate, and George felt like his chest was about to burst open with the warmth of having him finally.</p><p>Alexander′s hands which had come to rest on his chest moved to his hips, trying to bring closer to the cot, to his body, but the General resisted the temptation.</p><p>“We can′t,” he whispered. “Not here.”</p><p>That seemed to make him recover his senses. Looking at the empty infirmary he sighed, defeated, and left his hands fall to his lap and Washington did the proper, taking a step back, but not without kissing him one last time.</p><p>“I′ll leave you to rest, Alexander.”</p><p>“Will you come back tomorrow?”</p><p>“Of course,” he promised.</p><p>He stood there for a moment taking Alexander in, examining his face, his wounds, all his being resisting the mere idea of leaving. After everything that had happened, he still wasn′t sure that he wasn′t dreaming, that he wouldn′t wake up the next day and Hamilton would be once again dead.</p><p>“Hey,” said the other man apparently understanding. “I′ll be here.”</p><p>George kissed him one last time, more forceful and a little desperate, and Alexander answered in kind. Searching for his hand and tangling their fingers, squeezing them tightly.</p><p>They separated again, both breathless and smiling. Alexander left his hand go and George missed the warmth immediately.</p><p>“I′ll tell the doctor that he can resume his duties.”</p><p>“Goodbye.”</p><p>When he exited the tent, Lafayette was waiting. Far enough that no conversation from inside the tent could be overheard and apparently distracted talking to the doctor. Both of them turned when he approached, and while the doctor went back inside after saying his goodbyes, Lafayette remained, obstructing his way.</p><p>“How was the talk with our dear Alexander?”</p><p>A traitorous smile appeared on his face and that seemed to be enough answer for the Frenchman. He smiled in return and clapped his shoulder.</p><p>“I hope you both all the happiness in the world.”</p><p>With that final statement he left and Washington saw him go, an irresistible smile on his lips and his chest full of hope.</p>
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